Wedome Launches First Unmanned and 24-Hour "Intelligent" Store

Are you an introvert or simply in a leave-me-alone mood? Well, luckily for you, Chinese self-service technology is catching up with trends in Japan (where there are an estimated 5.52 million vending machines), allowing complete shunning of meaningless interaction between you and anyone else in the human race. In keeping with this sad but wholly convenient march toward loneliness, Wedome (味多美, or Wèiduōměi) recently launched their first unmanned store, providing self-pickups and self-service for the good people of Chaoyangmen.

This Wedome has all the usual bread and cakes, plus a lot more

Having partnered with Alibaba to build the technology necessary for the staffless store, this Wedome is decked out with the bakery's regular display cases filled with bread, cakes, and sweets. Checking out works the same too: grab a tray, pick up what you want, and put it under the scanner, which – here's the cool part – recognizes your items (by the shape?). Pay with Alipay (no WeChat here, people) and away you go.

Isn't technology amazing?

What if you're working overtime and are dying for a piece of cake? Mei wenti, as the "intelligent" part of the store remains open 24-hours, you can either order (say, a birthday cake) ahead of time and have it waiting for you in one of the store's lockers. There's also a range of patisseries that you can choose from off the shelf. There's even a self-serve coffee machine so that you can refuel on the way back to your desk, equalling zero and blissful communication with absolutely no one!

The intelligent portion is also stocked with cold drinks, yogurt, salads, sandwiches, cakes, and bread and is accessible during the daytime, which is convenient if there’s a queue at the counter.

Ogle the the cakes in the "intelligent store" before placing your purchase

Luddites, don’t freak out, as there are several self-checkout machines too, and if you don’t have a smartphone (really?), Alipay, your phone is dead, or you simply like the feel of stinky cash, you can also queue for the normal (read: old-fashioned human) counters to pay during staff hours.

Order ahead and have your purchases awaiting your arrival

One downside is that the checkout instructions are only in Chinese but hopefully they'll make them bilingual soon. All-in-all, this Wedome store may just be the best thing since sliced bread and more than proves its worth among the ranks of Beijing's staffless KTVs, supermarkets, and convenience stores. Long live the robots!

Wedome Staffless Store

24-hours

1/F, 19 Chaowai Dajie, Chaoyang District
朝阳区朝外大街19号一层

[phone]

Photos: Tracy Wang

---

Top Stories This WeekDrug Raid Hits Side Street Bar, Patrons Filmed Taking Urine Test 
The 12 Best Burgers in Beijing, According to You 
Napa Closes Again Mere Months After Relocating to Shunyi 

Beijingers are Buzzing AboutThe China That Can Be Understood Is Not the Real China 
The Georg Returns in Early August With New Summer Menu 
New Line 13 Tsinghua University Station to Open this Year 

JOIN THE BEIJINGER TEAM

Do you have what it takes to be a True Runner?

Scan/Extract the QR code above to check out our current job openings.

True Run Media, the parent company of the Beijinger, is a proud equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability.

The Beijinger
Always something fresh

Scan/Extract the QR code above to follow us!

Tap on the cover to access the latest print issue.